Celebrating life at Barchester

The 5 main benefits of yoga are improved flexibility, increased muscular strength, better stress management, enhanced balance and higher sleep quality.

Our fortnightly class lead by Jane is part of our wellbeing management that brings our residents the opportunity to enhance Mind, Body and Soul.              

The wonderful Sophie came in this afternoon to entertain us with her Abba tribute.

Residents thoroughly enjoyed taking part with tambourines and shakers. Sophie always puts a smile on everyone's face with her boundless energy and sunny personality.  

Our residents enjoyed baking some delicious cinnamon cookies, and they certainly got creative with the decorating!

From a whole tray of golden, freshly baked cookies to some fantastic spooky pumpkin faces.       

They look absolutely delicious… although we’re not sure how long they lasted!       

Today at Claremont, family, friends and team members joined together to wish Torsten a very happy birthday!
Birthdays are so much more than just another day, they are an opportunity to celebrate each resident, their life, and the memories they have created. Here at the home we ensure every resident receives their very own personalised birthday cake, making their day special and as unique and meaningful as they are. Please enjoy the photos below, that have captured the smiles, laughter and joy making every birthday a truly memorable occasion here at the home.

At Claremont our lovely residents look forward to having their hair done every week by our super hairdresser, Debbie.
Debbie goes above and beyond to make sure everyone feels pampered and looking their best, whether they choose to visit the salon or prefer to have their hair done in the comfort of their own rooms. 
Having their hair styled is about so much more than appearance; it helps boost confidence, promotes self-esteem, encourages social interaction and brings a sense of normality and routine to their lives. For residents who are less mobile or prefer a quieter environment, Debbie ensures they receive the same care, attention and friendly chat. Her visits bring smiles, laughter and a little extra sparkle to the week, helping our residents feel special, valued and wonderful.

Recently our beautiful garden was filled with smiles as we welcomed the adorable mini donkeys, Fern and Pepper, along with their lovely owner, Helen. Even though it rained, the parasols were up and residents, family and friends loved watching these little gentle visitors, enjoying their company and sharing a special moment together. 

The visit created so much joy in the simple pleasure of being close to animals, with plenty of smiles, laughter and heart warming memories created along the way. Helen shared her knowledge of these beautiful animals and created an afternoon of learning as well as fun. We want to say a huge thankyou to Helen for bringing Fern and Pepper to see us, they certainly made our wet drizzly afternoon extra special.

Autumn is upon us, and we still continue to enjoy our wonderful outings each week, venturing off to somewhere different each trip. Recently we enjoyed a trip out shopping and also a trip to our local park to soak up the autumn sun. 

Shopping was such fun, as we browsed the isles and enjoyed looking at all the seasonal stock that has come in, allowing for reminiscence on how the stores have changed over time. It was also the perfect opportunity to sit and share stories over a warm drink. 

We also took a trip to our local park, this was a perfect day for feeding the birds and being in the fresh autumn sunshine. We enjoyed the sights and sounds of nature during this beautiful time of the year. It was lovely to simply be in the fresh air and enjoy are surroundings and each other.

Residents, staff, friends and family recently welcomed the Braybrooke Morris Dancers in for an afternoon of spectacular music, dancing, laughter and fun.

The lovely occasion provided a truly wonderful opportunity for all to come together for an enjoyable afternoon, complete with the cheerful sound of jingling bells, tapping of sticks along with the colourful costumes and white hankies. The group brought with them a real sense of tradition and community, the music created a joyful atmosphere, with everyone enjoying the sights and sounds of this much-loved traditional dancing.

Tina, Activities Co-ordinator said, “It is really important that the home brings in these unique themed events as it highlights the importance of such events in a care setting. For many of our residents this was the first time that they had seen Morris Dancing being performed. It offered them something new and different to experience and this in turn enriches the lives of our residents. It was a lovely afternoon that allowed for some great memories to be made.”

General Manager, Larisa Bledea, said: “What a great time everyone had, we cannot thank the Braybrooke Morris Dancers enough for coming to the home and offering this wonderful afternoon for our residents, staff, family and friends to all enjoy. Themed events like these are so important to all here, and our doors are always open to the community to join us. Moments like these help us all to remain connected to our local community and this is very important for our residents.”

As we approach Remembrance Day, we invite everyone to take a moment to visit our beautiful display in the main reception.
A massive thank Joy our activities assistant for setting this up and to everyone who contributed to making this so special. Please come and take a look at the incredible, crocheted & knitted poppies, Creative artwork and lovingly  painted stones
We also have official poppies available in the main reception for anyone who would like to donate to the Royal British Legion. Every contribution helps support our veterans and their families.
Lest we forget.